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  Fanny started to cry again. Daisy curled deeper into her arms. "It's my fault. I'm turning out just like my mother-in-law, and Simon saw that. Can't you go any faster?"

  "I'm trying, Fanny."

  When at last Jerry pulled his car to the curb, his tires screeching, Fanny bolted from the car. "Simon Thornton, is he here?" Fanny demanded of the doorman.

  "He's gone. He left about fifteen minutes ago."

  "Did he say where he was going?" Fanny asked.

  "All he said was good-bye and he was on his way to a new life. He had two little dogs with him. I'm sorry."

  "I'm sorry, too," Fanny said, wiping at the tears dripping on Daisy's head. In the car, Fanny broke down completely. Jerry stared at her helplessly.

  "What do you want me to do, Fanny?"

  ' Take me back to the airport. I can take a taxi if you have something to do."

  "If you want the monies wired into the Texas National by the close of business, I'll have to hail you a taxi. Simon was adamant about everything being done by five o'clock today. I gave him my word it would be taken care of. He did everything you wanted, Fanny."

  Fanny nodded miserably as she exited the car to wait for a taxi. "Thanks for everything, Jerry. You'll call if . . . ?"

  "Of course."

  "Tell him I came. Tell him ..." Fanny opened her purse and pulled out the map and the two safety pins attached at the corner. "Tell him ... I brought the map and the pins. He'll know what you're talking about."

  "I'll tell him, Fanny. Here's your cab. You take care of yourself now, you hear."

  "You too, Jerry. Simon is very lucky to have a friend like you."

  Fanny was back on the mountain by midnight. She garaged the car and set Daisy down on the ground. Instead of going to her studio, she walked down the path to the small private cemetery. She raised her eyes heavenward. "It's me, Sallie. I screwed everything up. I hate this helpless feeling. I don't know what to do. I can't seem to think straight. I was so close. I missed him by minutes. I don't know how to handle this. How did you manage to go on when Devin died? How did you get through the hours and the minutes? How did you manage to smile? You just went through the motions. Inside you were as dead as Devin was. I think I knew that, but I didn't want to dwell on it. I don't want that to happen to me. I don't want to be like you. I just want to be Fanny Thornton. I want to feel, to love, to cry and laugh. I can handle this. You just watch me. I'll say good night, Sallie. You probably won't be hearing from me for a while, so give my regards to Devin." As an afterthought she said, "And to Philip, too."

  Daisy woofed softly, begging to be picked up. The little dog in her arms, Fanny walked around the small cemetery. Overhead the heavens were star-spangled, the three-quarter moon casting a silvery glow over the ageless cottonwood in the middle of the cemetery. The sweet smell of sagebrush engulfed her as she made her way down the small path that led back to her studio.

  Inside the studio, Fanny headed straight for her drafting table and the telephone. Bess picked it up on the first ring. "I missed him, Bess. By fifteen minutes. No one knows where he is or where he was going. I guess he stuck his pin in the map and didn't look back. I feel so empty and lost. Why didn't I listen to you that day in the parking lot? I didn't listen because I'm stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid. I just wanted you to know I'm home. Good night, Bess, and thank you for being my friend."

  The connection broken, Fanny changed her clothes and made a pot of coffee. Life was going to go on and there was nothing she could do about it. As of today, this very minute, Simon Thornton was somebody she used to know. Somebody she loved with every breath in her body. The sad part was, Simon

  didn't love her in the same way. She lifted her coffee cup high in the air in a toast. "Be happy, Simon." Daisy howled, an earsplitting, heart wrenching sound that matched the high-pitched keening wail that escaped her own lips.

  The following morning Fanny was up, dressed and ready for whatever the day would bring before the sun climbed over the mountain. It was barely light when she let herself into the corporate headquarters of Sunny's Togs and Rainbow Babies— Sallie Thornton's old bingo palace.

  Fanny was hard at work packing up the contents of the rooms when her children and Bess appeared at seven-thirty. "We're relocating to the mountain. It will cut down on our overhead. Chue's cousins, nephews, and nieces are ready to start on Bernie and Blossom tomorrow. Here's our schedule ..."

  "Attagirl, Fanny," Bess said, hugging her. "I didn't say anything to them. I wanted to wait to hear from you."

  "Thanks, Bess. I don't think I could handle my children's pitying looks right now. We need to have some letters made up for our customers."

  "I took care of that yesterday, Fanny."

  "A truck to move this stuff up the mountain?"

  "Taken care of yesterday, too. I knew the mountain was our only option. They'll be here by noon."

  "The material for the dolls?"

  "The mill is shipping it directly to the mountain. Delivery is scheduled for tomorrow. The scraps are on their way as we speak."

  Fanny nodded. "Has anyone heard from Sunny?"

  "I passed her on the way in this morning. I guess she's at Babylon. She likes to get up when Tyler does so they can have breakfast together, and she gets a few quiet hours in the casino before all hell breaks loose. She waved, so I guess she's okay."

  Fanny looked at her watch. "I'm going to the bank and I have a few other errands to run, so I probably won't be back till noon. If I have time, I want to stop and see Sunny. Carry on, troops," she said lightly.

  Fanny walked through the Nevada Savings and Loan, the

  Thornton family's bank, down a short corridor where her personal banker, Bradford Tennison, sat behind a polished mahogany desk. They were old friends now, thanks to Sallie Thornton's intervention years ago. "Fanny, what brings you to the bank so early in the morning? Ah, I see, it's serious. Close the door. Can I offer you a cup of coffee?''

  "No thanks, Brad. Has Simon been in touch with you?"

  "Several times. There's a problem, Fanny. Your ex-husband applied for a mortgage on Babylon. The board approved it three days before I received Simon's call. The paperwork was in order. If this means anything, I voted no. Gambling boats on the Mississippi are risky ventures in my opinion."

  "What are you saying, Brad? Ash can't... I have to approve any . .. Two signatures, Brad."

  Tennison's faced turned pale. "We had two signatures, Fanny."

  "You didn't have the one that counts. Mine. I sat here for three hours over a year ago when all this was settled. You and I talked about this. You even said it was a wise decision on my part. Did Simon know about this?"

  Tennison's face went from pale to stark white. "I don't know, Fanny. I was in Carson City on bank business. I'm sure one of the bank officers told him. I'm certain we didn't do anything wrong."

  "If you're so sure, why is your face so pale? I'll pull everything from this bank, right down to the last penny. I'm almost afraid to ask, how much did Ash ..."

  "Sixteen million dollars."

  "Sixteen million dollars!" Fanny watched as the banker's forehead beaded with sweat. She could feel the moistness on her own forehead. She wiped at it with the back of her hand. "Tell me this is just in the works, tell me you didn't cut the check."

  "I wish I could tell you that, Fanny, but I can't."

  1 'Then you damn well better stop payment. If you tell me it's too late, I am personally going to wreck this bank. That's

  not a threat, that's a goddamn promise. Get your people in here, Brad. Now!"

  Fanny was so furious she could barely focus on the furnishings in the room. How could this have happened? How dare Ash do this to her? Fanny stopped pacing long enough to place a call to Sage. Her voice was hoarse with rage when she questioned her son.

  "Mom, I don't know anything about it. One of us has to sign along with you. That's all you ever told us. Nothing like this has ever come up before. Maybe Birch signed and ... I don't know,
Mom, I'm just speculating. For whatever this is worth, Dad is holding some very impressive markers that have Ryce Granger's name on them. He's second-in-command at ye olde bank. How did that get past Uncle Simon? I can be there in five minutes with all the account folders. Everything is spelled out. They gotta make good. Wait for me before you start wrecking the place."

  Fanny's shoulders started to shake as she broke the connection without bothering to answer her son. Yes, how did it get past Simon? She needed to calm down, to get her thoughts in order. The bank was responsible if Ash pulled a fast one. She wondered what the word "impressive" meant to Sage. She had to admit she didn't know how much money the casino would hold in the way of markers. Obviously a lot.

  ' 'Fanny, come with me, we're going to one of the boardrooms where we won't be interrupted."

  His face was still pale, Fanny noticed. She followed him, her back stiff. She thought her jaw was going to crack any second.

  It was a windowless room with only a long conference table and a sideboard. A telephone and several manila folders sat on one end of the sideboard. Nine ashtrays and a silver service containing steaming coffee sat in the middle of the long table. The table was amazingly shiny, Fanny thought as she looked down to see the reflections of the white faces of the men standing at attention, yellow legal tablets in hand.

  Fanny slammed her purse on the table just as a knock sounded

  on the door. The palm of her hand shot upward and then out. "I'll get it."

  Sage stood in the open doorway to hand his mother a thick yellow folder. "Thanks, honey, I can handle this," she said in a low whisper.

  "You sure?"

  "I'm sure."

  "Do what I do, kick some ass and take names later," Sage whispered. In spite of herself, Fanny smiled.

  "I can do that."

  "I know. I ain't your son for nothing. Good luck." He squeezed her shoulder reassuringly.

  Fear, Fanny thought, had to be the single most debilitating emotion there was. It was everywhere in the room, swirling and circling her like a deadly fog.

  "Someone explain to me what happened." Fanny's eyes swept the table and came to rest on Ryce Granger.

  "It's like I said, Fanny. Ryce called the main office and was told he needed two signatures on the application. Ash and Birch signed all the forms. I was in Carson City, not that that makes a difference. Ryce had full authority to put the wheels in motion."

  Fanny leaned into the table, her eyes unwaveringly still on Ryce Granger's face. "Was that before or after he cut a deal with my ex- husband to wash some, if not all, of his markers at Babylon? Don't insult me, Brad, by pretending Mr. Granger didn't know it was my signature that was required, not my husband's. The way I see it, this bank is out sixteen million dollars. You will return sixteen million dollars to the Thornton Family Partnership account within forty-eight hours. I have no interest in knowing how you will do this. You will do it or I'll have the banking commission down here so fast your heads will spin off your necks. It is not my responsibility to help you get your monies from Ash. Nor can you foreclose on the casino. If I were you, I think I might look into riverboat gambling. You own those boats now. You and Ash Thornton. You made a deal with the devil, gentlemen. Oh, and one other thing. The Thornton family will no longer be banking with this establish-

  ment. Good day, gentlemen. Remember, forty-eight hours from this minute, not one second longer."

  Outside the bank, Fanny looked upward at the pale blue sky, a sky that looked more fragile than the finest porcelain. Where are you, Simon? Did you know about this?

  Fanny drove to Babylon, her thoughts everywhere but on the matter at hand. What would Sallie have done? Did she handle things right? How was the move coming? I'm going to kill you, Ash Thornton. Oh, Simon, I need you. Please, please, come back.

  Fanny parked in the underground parking lot in a reserved space next to Sunny's car. She exited through the emergency stairwell to come out on the second floor where Ash maintained his suite of offices.

  Fanny burst into Ash's offices, slamming the door behind her. "You better hope these walls are soundproof, Ash!"

  "Fanny, how the hell did you get in here!"

  "I sneaked in. I took a page out of your book. Your surveillance stinks. I'm here, and that's all that matters. Where's Birch?"

  "I don't have to account to you, Fanny. If you want to know where Birch is, you should call him. I'm busy."

  "You're going to be a hell of a lot busier when you have to deal with the banking commission. They're going to get you on forgery, and I'm not stepping in on your behalf this time. You made Birch, your own son, a party to all of this. You got away with it, too. The big question is, how are you going to repay sixteen million dollars plus interest? Those riverboats belong to the bank now, and since you wiped Granger's markers, you're left holding the proverbial bag. How did you think you were going to get away with this? Do you think I'm really that stupid? Yes, I guess you do," Fanny said sadly.

  "You screwed up my deal! Damn you, Fanny. Jesus, I hate your fucking guts. I must have been crazy out of my mind to marry you. This is a dog-eat-dog business and you know it. I'm a cripple, locked in this stinking chair, and all because of you. If you'd just die, we'd all be happy."

  Fanny backed up a step, her face draining of all color. "It wasn't my fault that you fell off that girder."

  "The hell it wasn't. If you'd given me the money, my own money, Thornton family money, I wouldn't have had to be up there to begin with, trying to keep my eye on things so costs would be down. Oh, no, you give it to me after. AFTER I'm sitting in this chair. It was your own guilty conscience that made you go ahead with Babylon. When it was too late, when I had nothing left. I sit in this chair twenty hours a day, full of painkillers while you're out there fucking my brother. The whole town knows about your affair. The kids know, too."

  "I didn't try to keep it a secret, Ash. I can do whatever I want. I'm not your wife any longer. As for the town, do you think I care? I made a promise to your mother and I'm doing my best to keep it. I'm sorry you feel the way you do. I refuse to get into the name-calling and the backbiting. Family business behind closed doors is one thing. You've taken it public now. I have no control over the bank. In a week's time their doors will be closed, and you're responsible. All those people will be out of jobs. You have to take responsibility for that, too. The Gaming Commission won't let you work here any longer if you're convicted. This is about as serious as it gets, Ash. Were you ever going to tell me?"

  "Shut up, Fanny."

  "Is it that you don't want to hear my words, or is it my voice?" Fanny asked, looking around at the opulence of Ash's office. Top-of-the-line stereo system, hidden bar and refrigerator, private wall safe, recessed television, leather chairs and couch. Black-marble bathroom complete with Jacuzzi, priceless paintings on the walls, subdued lighting, perfect for those late-night assignations. All the trappings of the good life. She thought about her tiny studio with the faded red chairs, the fieldstone fireplace, and the narrow twin beds. There simply was no comparison.

  Ash's voice was vitriolic, full of hatred when he said, "You wormed your way into my mother's life. You turned her against me and Simon, too. You got it all, the money, the land, the

  jewelry, the gold, the stock. You stole what was Simon's and mine. My father told me you would do it, too. He knew what was going on. My mother the whore. You're just like her, Fanny. She wheedled that money out of Cotton Easter just the way you wheedled it out of her. You're a cheat and a thief masquerading in a mother's body."

  Fanny grew light-headed at the ugly words. He was getting to her, pushing her buttons, jerking her strings. If only Sallie hadn't put her in this position. If only she hadn't agreed to take care of the Thornton monies. If only ... if only.

  Fanny's voice was colder than ice. "My conscience is clear. I will never forgive you for the position you've put Birch in. The headlines will probably read EMPEROR AND SON INDICTED IN BANK FRAUD.''

  "Then he
lp me, goddamn it."

  "Not this time, Ash. Not this time."

  "What about Birch?"

  "Like father like son," Fanny said.

  "You'll help Billie Coleman, but you won't help your husband and son? I hope you rot in hell, Fanny."

  ' 'Billie is taking responsibility and trying to correct a terrible wrong. If I were in her place, I'd do the same thing. Birch knows right from wrong just the way you know right from wrong. What's that saying, you play you pay?"

  Fanny's legs felt like wet noodles as she made her way to Sunny's office.

  Sunny looked up from her cluttered desk. "Mom! Twice in one week? No one told me you were on the floor. Is something wrong?''

  "I came in through the garage. I wanted to ... surprise your father. Do you happen to know where Birch is?"

  "Biloxi, Mississippi. Mom, what's wrong?"

  Fanny told her.

  "Mom, they could go to jail. You can't let that happen. You can do something, can't you?"

  "No. If Birch is in Mississippi, it's a done deal. Ash wired the money. I don't know the ins and outs of that, but it has

  something to do with federal regulations, state lines, and things like that."

  "Pay the money back."

  "It isn't that simple. The owners of the riverboats are already spending their money. I suppose it's possible for your father to cut some kind of deal with the bank. Forty-eight hours from now we will no longer be banking at Nevada Savings and Loan. The Nevada National Trust bank will be handling the Thornton accounts."

  "Mom, the bank will shut down if you pull out."

  "There is that possibility."

  "I hate to say this, Mom, but Grandma Sallie wouldn't let all those people lose their jobs."

  ''That's your father's responsibility. Your father should have thought ahead to what could happen down the road. Pure and simple, he did not think he'd get caught. If I hadn't agreed to help Billie Coleman, we still wouldn't know what he'd done. I'm not Sallie, Sunny. I have to do what's right, for us, for me.